What animals live in the Crimea. Flora and fauna of Crimea. Steppe viper photo: Giacomo Radi

The flora of Crimea is very rich and diverse, it includes more than 2.5 thousand plant species. The species composition of the Crimean vegetation impresses not only with its abundance, but also with its qualitative composition. Common to the south of Ukraine, there are no more than a third of the steppe and common for mountains and foothills plants of the temperate climatic zone of Europe, but more than 50% of the vegetation species are of Mediterranean origin and are representatives of the Mediterranean area.

In addition, there are at least 10% of the so-called endemic plants, that is, those that can be found only in one place on the planet - on the Crimean Peninsula. Such an abundance of endemics allows us to consider the nature of the Crimea as unique. High juniper, folded snowdrop, small-fruited strawberry growing in the mountainous part of the peninsula are typical of the Tertiary period, which was almost two million years ago. But, for example, taiga wintergreen and stone fruit are not at all characteristic of southern latitudes, but rather characteristic of the taiga and northern broad-leaved forests. These are relic plants of the Ice Age, from which they remained in the southern latitudes of Crimea due to its unique geographical position.

The fauna of the peninsula very varied. We already know that Crimea is divided into steppe and mountain. And also the peninsula is washed by the Black Sea. In the sea depths of this peninsula, various types of marine life live.

The steppe peninsula is characterized by a wide distribution of various rodent species. These include various types of hamsters and ground squirrels, as well as mice. These inhabitants cause great harm to grain crops. The enemies of these inhabitants are the fox, ferret and weasel, which also live in the steppe zone. The common hare is also found here.

The steppe Crimea is very densely populated with birds, especially a lot of waterfowl, this is due to the presence of abundant food in this area. There is a bird sanctuary in the area of ​​Karkinitsky Bay, which is of international importance. In total, about 230 species of birds live here or about 85 species nest. There are also various types of swans and herons. Several species of cranes live in the steppes.

Tit photo:alona779

Among the birds of prey, the steppe eagle is very rare, which destroys a huge number of rodents. Starlings, titmouses, finches, goldfinches settle in the forests.

Of the reptiles in the steppe zone, there is a steppe viper, which is poisonous. Of the lizards, there is a yellow-bellied, Crimean lizard.

Steppe viper photo: Giacomo Radi

In the mountainous Crimea, the animal world is much more diverse than in the steppe. However, many years of human activity has led to the fact that many animal species have disappeared forever.

The permanent inhabitants of the Crimean forests are deer and roe deer, wild boar and foxes. Of the rodents, there are squirrels and various types of mice. Some subspecies of badgers and martens have also survived.

More than sixty years ago, the last wolf was exterminated. Currently, wolves are not found in the Crimea. Birds include tits, grouse jays, black vultures.

Black vulture photo: sharadagrawal931978

In the Black Sea off the coast of Crimea, there are a variety of marine life, including dolphins, which try not to swim up to the shore and keep a decent distance from it. Only sometimes in the distance you can see a flock of swimming dolphins. Jellyfish, which can often be seen near the shore. Touching it can cause discomfort in the form of a burning sensation on the skin.

Various types of mollusks live off the coast of Crimea. Small crabs and seahorses are one of the inhabitants of the sea in the Crimea.

Among the fish here lives herring, flounder, sea bass, gobies, mullet and red mullet.

Every year the number of marine life is decreasing due to human activities.

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Animals of Crimea - inhabitants of the forests - who are they? Mammals (or animals) have become the real masters of the animal world. They have a constant body temperature, many of them are protected by wool. Females carry their young inside their body, and this is more reliable for the embryo than development in a laid egg, even under a strong shell. And, finally, in full accordance with the name of the class, mammals feed their children with milk, the composition of which has been worked out by nature itself over millions of years - this is the ideal food for a newborn.

What animals lived in the Crimea in ancient times?

For a long history of development, the animal world of the Crimean peninsula has seriously changed. In the Tertiary period (about 20 million years ago) on the territory of modern Crimea, which had a slightly different appearance, there was a hot tropical climate. Elephants, mastodons, extinct ancestors of camels, the three-toed hipparion horse, Stenon's horse were found in the steppes. Surely there were many small animals and birds, but time has ground the remains of their bones. Only heavy ostrich skeletons have been found. In the sea (even remotely similar to the Black Sea), the ancestors of modern whales were found.

Approximately 1 million years ago, the Tertiary period gave way to the Quaternary. In the Crimea sharply colder. Mammoths appeared. On the plateau of the Crimean Mountains, in deep karst wells, bones, and even whole skeletons of giant and reindeer, wild horses, saiga, bison, cave lion, cave hyena, cave bear, woolly rhinoceros that fell there are still found ...

Who lives in the Crimean forest?

Today there are 58 species of land mammals in Crimea. Let's start with the more primitive and small ones, ending with the "king" of the Crimean forest - the Crimean red deer.

bats there are 18 species in Crimea, we call them bats. The shoulders, forearms, along with the elongated fingers of the forelimbs, the sides of the body, the hind limbs and the stomach of bats are covered with leathery membranes that serve as wings. Bats hunt in the evening and at night, when daytime birds sleep. Having very poor eyesight and good hearing, bats navigate with the help of an echolocation apparatus (in horseshoes, a horseshoe-shaped growth near the nose serves as part of it). Animals constantly send ultrasonic waves into space and, picking up response signals, distinguish objects around them.

Eight species of bats winter in the Crimea, while the rest, like migratory birds, fly south. Flies especially well long-winged common, even with a silhouette in flight resembling a swallow.

Teleuk squirrel brought in 1940 to the Crimea from the Altai Territory. Here they multiplied and settled in all forests and parks. The food of the squirrel is varied: mushrooms, berries, grass seeds, insects; A squirrel is not averse to climbing into a bird's nest, stealing an egg, or wringing the neck of a weak chick. Nevertheless, she prefers hazelnuts, acorns, beech nuts, seeds of pines (common and Crimean), and on the South Coast she loves pineoli very much - edible nuts of the Italian pine.

Sometimes she happens to drop a two-hundred-gram cone from a high pine. It’s good if people don’t walk along the paths of the park at this time! The fur on squirrel skins has become very thin in the warm Crimea, has lost its Altai beauty and strength, so this funny animal has no commercial value for us.

When crossing the road hare (hare), a caring driver usually slows down, inviting everyone who has time to look at the long-eared sprinter.

A hare is similar to a domestic rabbit, but its body structure is better adapted to life in open spaces, to a fast run with unexpected, confusing jumps. Newborn hares are sighted; they are covered with delicate fur and are able to move from the first day of life.

Belodushka in the Crimea they call the stone marten with white fur on the throat and on the chest. Elegant, graceful, she, as they say, caresses the eye. At the same time, the beautiful white woman is a brave, cruel, bloodthirsty, voracious and incredibly mobile predator, who, however, is not alien to vegetarian food. In summer and autumn, the marten feeds on blackthorn, hawthorn, pears and grapes. The white-tailed one does not climb trees, but the pine marten even catches up with the squirrel! And if it climbs into a home chicken coop (usually in the middle of the night), then in a few minutes it will strangle the entire bird family, restless with horror.

It's amazing that such an animal can be tamed. At one of the cordons of Karadag, a forester's family kept a white-haired woman. Fed from a pacifier, she grew up on the laps of the hostess and her children and caressed the guests like a kitten! Without touching domestic animals, the white-haired woman does an excellent job of cleaning the yard from the invincible rat packs common among chicken coops and pigsties. Where are the lazy, jaded cats!

Badger, perhaps the most noble representative of the bloodthirsty family of mustelids, to which such indomitable taiga predators belong, such as mink, otter, sable, ermine, wolverine, and from the Crimean ones - ferret, weasel and marten. "Family" energy and courage are manifested in the omnivorous badger not in bloody robberies, but in painstaking useful work. He digs holes for himself several floors, to match the caves; the total length of the underground "halls" and "galleries" can reach twenty meters. Each otnork has its own purpose, and the floor is always lined with fragrant herbs for disinfection. Burrow cleaning is carried out daily; badgers completely change their bedding twice a year. This indefatigable builder constantly expands, deepens, and improves the hole, and this well-groomed dwelling, surrounded by the holes of neighbors, eventually becomes part of a large badger town.

For food, the badger collects mushrooms, nuts, acorns, wild berries, root crops, feasts on snails, mice, ground squirrels. For honey, he climbs into the nests of wild bees. The robber is stung, but he endures, because he loves sweets very much.

Crimean mountain fox settles in the mountains, among the rocks, in karst caves and grottoes. She is smart, cunning, impudent, agile, unscrupulous and often occupies the holes of other animals.

The main fox food is of animal origin, in proportion to the growth of the predator and the size of her teeth. Usually these are mice, gophers, hamsters, hedgehogs, bird eggs, and if you're lucky, then the birds themselves, hares and wild rabbits. When there are no dogs nearby, the fox overcomes fear and violates the sacred border of human habitation. But, unlike other delicacy lovers and contrary to folk tales, he does not rob much in chicken coops. And already without pleasure at all, just from hunger, it eats insects, frogs, lizards, carrion.

A rare animal can be compared in bloodthirstiness with a tiny, cute and very funny, at first glance, caress. It can be tamed if raised in a house, and the weasel will sleep on a pillow near the head of the owner, make friends with a cat and a dog, bring fun to the family with its playfulness and tireless curiosity.

The house where the tamed weasel lives will be absolutely clean from rodents and insects. It is a pity that in captivity this animal rarely lives up to five years. And here is what A. Bram says about the behavior of weasels in the forest:

A small animal, only eight inches long, but his courage and audacity are exorbitant. Seeing a person, he does not even think of running away, on the contrary, standing on his hind legs, he looks around with some defiant look. More than once it happened that the weasel even attacked the person herself, and it took great effort to get rid of her sharp teeth.

And yet not affection, but a wild boar- the only truly dangerous animal of the Crimean forest. Seeing or sensing a person, he prudently leaves, but does not forget insults and does not know fear.

The boar is an omnivore. Its main food is roots, acorns, mushrooms, all kinds of fruits and nuts. In addition, there are insects, their larvae, rodents, bird eggs, and even when it is completely hungry, the boar does not disdain carrion. Climbing into gardens, especially potato ones, wild pigs dig them up more conscientiously than any owner - not a single root crop will remain in the ground!

In November-December, single adult males join the herds of wild pigs with young. Violent battles break out between the billhooks. The front part of the boar's body is protected by a "trap" - a layer of fat and connective tissue, so strong that not every bullet pierces this natural shell! The stomach, however, is not protected, so for a weak opponent the duel can end in death. But the winner collects a small "harem" - and in early spring becomes the father of the family.

The female feeds, warms the piglets, and if necessary, hides the babies, covering them with leaves. At this time, it is extremely dangerous. If you find a hidden piglet in the forest and try to pick it up, the pig will come running immediately, and then - look for a higher tree!

The largest, most conspicuous of the inhabitants of the Crimean forests - Crimean red deer. There are males weighing up to 260 kilograms and up to 140 centimeters high at the withers. The deer is light-footed, slender, with a proud head posture and wide branched antlers. It is to this noble article that he owes his name. The age of the Crimean deer is 60-70 years. Every year in February-March, the old deer antlers fall off, and new ones grow in their place, at first very tender, covered with skin and permeated with blood vessels. These are antlers. Since ancient times, people have also hunted deer for the sake of the valuable medicine extracted from these antlers - pantocrine.

Horns are the deer's weapon. In the Crimea, the noble beast has no enemies (except hunters), so the horns serve only for tournament fights during the September mating season. At this time, usually before sunrise, the forest resounds with the inviting roar of males. Rivals fight under the gaze of two or four females, which should go to the winner.

The number of deer in the Crimean forests was constantly changing, and at the beginning of the 20th century they were almost completely exterminated. Since 1923, with the formation of a reserved hunting economy, hunting has decreased, and already in 1941 more than two thousand deer were bred in the forests of Crimea. during the war, they became four times less, and in 1990 the number again increased to several thousand. Today, as huntsmen say, the number of deer is “regulated” by itself, by licensed and poaching shootings.

Once artiodactyls - deer and roe deer- lived both in forests and in the steppe part of the peninsula. People pushed them into the mountain forest areas. Now most of all roe deer live on the slopes of the Main mountain range.

Meeting in the forest with this gentle, graceful animal is not such a rarity. Seeing a person, the animal freezes, and realizing that it has been discovered, it is carried away deep into the forest, shining with a “mirror” (white fur around the tail). "Mirrors" are necessary so that the young do not lose sight of the fleeing herd.

Belonging to the same family, roe deer look like deer, like smaller brothers. Both those and others feed on herbaceous plants, tree growth, buds, leaves and bark. Like deer, roe deer males wear branched antlers, hold mating tournaments in August-September, and then lose their weapons so that in the spring, in preparation for the next season, they begin to grow a new one. Foresters (and hunters too) affectionately call roe deer goats. And here is what A. Bram writes about the roe deer:

She effortlessly jumps over high fences and bushes, swims and climbs just as well; perfectly hears, smells and sees; she is cunning and careful. She grows handy quickly, but in adulthood she always remains a stubborn, capricious creature, especially males, who behave like the most capricious goats ...

Crimean animals on video

Crimea is rightly called "Little Australia". This peninsula includes three climatic zones at once, so many different animals live on its territory.

fauna features

Crimea has a rather modest area of ​​27 thousand square kilometers, but at the same time, 50 salt lakes and 257 rivers are concentrated on it. The Black and Azov seas are washed by mountain and steppe massifs. All of the above factors determined the species diversity of animals, fish, birds and insects living in the region. There is evidence that in former times even ostriches and giraffes lived here, but against the backdrop of climate change, they were replaced by less heat-loving animals.

Since endangered species are found among the animals of the peninsula, it was decided to create the Red Book of Crimea. The publication is still in the project, but the animals included in the list have already been taken under protection.

Who lives in the steppe?

The fauna of the Crimean steppes includes white-bellied shrew, ground squirrel, jerboa, hamster, mole voles, foxes and many other representatives of the animal world. Among the birds of these latitudes there are bee-eaters, rollers, bustards, cranes, little bustards, steppe harriers and eagles.

The steppe viper is rarely seen here, much more often people meet four-stripe snakes and agile lizards. Nest in the steppe world of Crimea herons, mallards, long-nosed mergansers, cranes.

One of the most popular animals of the steppe - corsac. The steppe fox, called the corsac, belongs to the canine family. The body length of the animal is about half a meter, and the tail is up to 35 cm. The weight of an adult is no more than that of a large cat.

The fur coat of the corsac has a gray-yellow hue with a reddish tint, while the fur is lighter below, and the tip of the tail of this fox is darkened. Pursuing prey, corsac develops speed up to 60 km per hour. He is not averse to eating rodents, birds, and does not disdain carrion.

Domestic chickens often become victims of corsacs. There is a place in the diet of the fox for vegetarian food - she eats fruits and berries with pleasure.

Foothill areas

In the foothills of the Crimea there are wolves, squirrels, but here you will not find many familiar inhabitants of Russian forests. But these lands are inhabited by representatives of various Balkan, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and endemic species.

A rich fauna is represented on the northern slopes of Yayla, on the territory of the Crimean Nature Reserve. The specially protected natural area is inhabited by Crimean deer, Crimean chamois, pine and stone martens. Local animals are distinguished by unique features. For example, they walk in their "summer" fur coat all year round.

Let's talk about some interesting inhabitants of the Crimean foothills in more detail.

• Belodushka. The second name of the stone marten is white-headed. She is so named because of the white fur on her chest and shirtfront. Slender and nimble, she easily sneaks into chicken coops, but she can also eat berries.

• Noble deer. It is rightfully considered the pride of Crimea. The head of this forest animal is decorated with luxurious horns, which increase with age. Herds of deer can be heard by the characteristic roar that resounds through the forest. In winter, they move closer to the gardens to find food there.

• Mouflon. This is the name of the mountain sheep, which took root in this region in tsarist times. Its horns are in the form of a spiral, the weight can reach two centners. The acclimatization of this beautiful animal was not without difficulties, so the mouflon is a protected species. In summer, they hide from the heat in shady rocks and go out to eat grass only in the evening, and in winter, due to lack of food, they get closer to human houses.

• Roe. During the active settlement of people, these animals were driven further into the mountains. They do not have tools to protect themselves from predators in the form of horns, but nature has endowed these graceful animals with very good hearing. It allows roe deer to hear the enemy from afar.

In addition to predators, they are hunted by poachers.

• Doe. Rarely appears in the foothills of the peninsula. Nimble, quirky and very beautiful animals hardly adapt to the conditions of the Crimea. It has not yet been possible to significantly increase the population of these artiodactyls, but local residents are trying to protect the animal from the encroachments of poachers.

Who lives on the coast?

The southern coast abounds with reptiles and invertebrates.

• Crimean gecko. These nimble creatures love to live in old buildings, where there are always deep cracks and various tunnels for them. For this reason, in former times they lived in old houses and courtyards.

They saved people from hordes of insects and thus rendered a service to man. But today, in the cities, their population has declined. The reason was the active development of the territories, as well as the attacks of cats that are not averse to feasting on these cute lizards.

• Mantis. It got its name from the raised front legs. Of course, these creatures do not hold their limbs in this position at all in order to offer prayer. They just spend a lot of time in ambush, meticulously tracking down prey, and from this position it is easier for them to attack it. The growth of the mantis reaches 5 centimeters, so sometimes they come into a fight with sparrows.
• Crimean ground beetle. This protected inhabitant of the Crimea has a purple color that shimmers in different colors. It is better not to touch it, otherwise the five-centimeter beetle will secrete a frightening secret. Ground beetles prey on mollusks and snails.

Among the feathered inhabitants of the coast, birds such as herons, mallards, cranes. In total, there are more than 200 species of Crimean birds, however, among them there are no unique ones living only in this region.

Inhabitants of reservoirs

More than two hundred fish live in numerous reservoirs of the peninsula, while a quarter of them periodically visit the Crimean waters from the Bosphorus. A lot in the region frogs, toads and newts. There is only one venomous snake living here - it is steppe viper. Inhabits water bodies and swamp turtle.

The fingers of this animal are equipped with membranes, allowing it to swim better, and the size of the shell usually does not exceed 15 cm in diameter. Turtles are diurnal- they sleep until dawn, and then begin to hunt medium-sized fish. Also, these animals are not averse to tasting plant foods. They spend the winter buried in mud.

Such animals can also be kept at home, in which case they wait out the cold season in the basement.

Dangerous wild animals

In addition to animals that cannot harm a person, quite dangerous creatures also live in the Crimea, it is better to avoid meeting with them.

Black Widow

This dangerous species is found not only in the steppes and forests, sometimes it can also be seen in urban areas. The bite of a female black widow can be fatal. If it occurs, then you need to burn it with a match head or a hot object on fire and immediately go to the doctor. If help is late, severe body aches, trembling of arms and legs and dizziness will begin, hallucinations occur due to damage to the nervous system.

scolopendra

Ringed centipedes are not as dangerous as black widows, but their bite can cause serious discomfort. A bite is able to unsettle for several days, all this time the victim feels fever, aching muscles, and the bite itself can hurt for a long time. Skolopendra lives everywhere on the peninsula, besides it is very agile - suddenly appears and just as suddenly disappears.

steppe viper

Its habitat is wide: mountains, steppes, salt marshes, vineyards, sandy roads. She, like karakurt, is able to kill with her bite. After it, there is an increase in heart rate, dizziness, nausea, the appearance of blood in the urine.

The poison can be sucked out, each time rinsing the mouth with water or a solution of potassium permanganate, at the same time, there should be no wounds in the mouth, otherwise the poison will penetrate the body of the rescuer. Next, the wound is disinfected, a bandage is applied, but not a tourniquet.

The victim is forbidden to drink alcohol, he needs to drink as much clean water as possible. Such a person should be seen by a doctor as soon as possible.

South Russian tarantula

Mountains and steppes are favorite places for tarantulas. Allergy sufferers are most at risk when meeting with him, for everyone else he is less dangerous. Signs of a bite from this spider are about the same as in the case of a black widow. The bite site should be burned with brilliant green, you should also consult a doctor.

A wild boar

A large and dangerous predatory beast was once exterminated on the territory of this region, but years later again settled in its forests. The habitat of wild boars is mountainous areas where oaks and beeches grow, because they are not averse to feasting on plant foods. They avoid meeting people, but if a collision occurs, then the boar is able to show strong aggression towards the stranger.

The most dangerous are females with piglets, they are ready to fight for their children not for life, but for death.

Scorpion

Displaced by people from the inhabited territories, he did not go too far, but began to settle right in the houses, more precisely, in their darkest and most damp rooms. Spiders, centipedes, praying mantises often become its prey, therefore scorpions to some extent help people fight dangerous insects.

They are nocturnal, so meeting them during the day is unlikely. The bite symptoms are similar to the reaction to the bites of other poisonous inhabitants of the Crimea: shortness of breath, pressure surges, chills or fever, dizziness.

They can appear both immediately and a day later, so a doctor's consultation after the incident should be obtained in the near future.

Protected species

Under protection are both unusual and interesting animals of the Crimea, and well-known arctic fox, wolverine, beaver, marmot, bear, steppe polecat, because their populations in the region are small. The only mouflons for many thousands of kilometers, including Eastern European ones, live in the Crimea. They came from the individuals that lived in the royal nursery, and therefore are of particular value.

Serpentine yellowbell has a body a meter long or a little more, it often frightens people, as it resembles a viper. The representative of the spindles is completely harmless, if you do not frighten him on purpose.

Unlike snakes, his eyes have eyelids that blink.

monk seal, which is also called the white-bellied seal, is critically endangered. According to scientists, the population of this rare animal has no more than 600 individuals in the world. The seal received such an unusual name because of its secluded lifestyle, and its head is also decorated with a kind of short fur. Two-meter marine animals can reach a weight of three centners, however, they are able to dive quite deeply and return with prey.

      A characteristic feature of the Crimean fauna is its island character. Due to its isolation, the peninsula does not have many biological species characteristic of a temperate climate, but there are some of their own, specific ones.
The fauna of the peninsula is composed of three elements: steppes, foothills and mountains, and, finally, the southern coast. Accordingly, the fauna of all constituent parts of the Crimea is different: the steppe Crimea belongs to the steppe zone of the European-Siberian subregion, and the mountainous one belongs to the Mediterranean. But since the Crimean steppe passes into the region of the foothills, rising gradually, it is impossible to establish a clear boundary between them and sharply dissect their animal world. Only the fauna of the southern coast differs significantly from the fauna of the northern slope of the mountains.

mammals
The fauna of the Crimean steppes is similar to the fauna of the Ukrainian mainland steppes. It does not have a single representative of large mammals.
The latter was killed in 1922 at the northern foot of Chatyr-Dag. And today the largest predatory animal of the peninsula is the fox. Two of its species are known: ordinary steppe and mountain Crimean. The fur of the latter is brighter and fluffier, but it is inferior in size to the steppe.
In total, there are seven species of predatory animals in Crimea. At the end of the last century, it took root here.
The rest of the predators from the weasel family: weasel,
and stone marten.
There are many rodents in the steppe Crimea. They are found, hamsters, gophers and. The steppe and foothills also abound with other species, among which various voles are numerous, from the order of insectivores one can often find a shrew.
In the central part of the mountainous Crimea, at the foot of Babugan, the lands of the Crimean State Reserve and Hunting Economy are located. This is the largest protected area on the peninsula (33,397 ha). The area of ​​the protected hunting economy is divided into two approximately equal parts: protected forests and forest hunting grounds. The farm is closed to tourists and sightseers.
Deer, badgers and other mammals live in the protected forests - 39 species in total. Here they are successfully acclimatized from Corsica, from Altai and from the Far East.
The pride of reserved forests -. This is the largest and most beautiful animal of the Crimean mountains. The number of animals is maintained at a certain level: deer - 1300 - 1500, roe deer - 300, wild boars - 300 - 400, mouflons - 150 - 200 heads.
Thanks to the effective protection of the livestock of these animals in the late 70s - early 80s of the XX century. increased significantly, and in terms of saturation with ungulates per unit area, the Crimean reserve hunting economy turned out to be the most overpopulated in Europe. The resulting sharp discrepancy between the number of ungulates and the plant food base began to adversely affect the renewal of the young forest.
Naturally, there was a need to periodically carry out a planned reduction in the number of reindeer herds through trapping and resettlement. The Crimean deer has already replenished the fauna of many regions of Ukraine.

Birds
There are about 300 species of birds in the Crimea.
In the steppe regions, it is quite rare, but it is found. This large but cautious bird, yellow-brown with black stripes above and white below and along the edges of the wings, has the ability to run fast, but it does not fly well. The bustard differs from other birds in the absence of the coccygeal gland, which secretes a lubricant that birds use to cover their feathers with their beak to protect them from getting wet. Autumn rain and subsequent frosts shackle these birds with an ice crust, making them absolutely helpless.
Birds of prey can also be found in the steppe. These are, first of all, the steppe eagle, steppe kestrel, red-footed falcon and steppe harrier.
The foothills are inhabited by shrikes, garden bunting, nightjar, scops owl, starling endemic for the Crimea and goldfinch. Three types of nightingales are found here: western, eastern and Persian. The first two species nest on both sides of the mountains, and the Persian nightingale is occasionally found on the northern slopes.
The mountain forests are inhabited by the Crimean and long-tailed tit, woodpecker, redstart, robin, warbler, jay. Above there are mountain buntings. There is no significant difference in the composition of the bird fauna of the mountain peaks and the forests themselves. Moreover, many steppe birds are found on the yayla: wheatear, field lark, bald-headed and others.
The largest bird in Europe nests here - (two adults can freely accommodate in its nest). This bird can be found in the forests of the Main Ridge of the Crimean Mountains (on the Chernaya and Basman mountains, in the Yaman-Dere gorge near Babugan-yayla and in other places).
At 3.5 km from the coast, in the Kerkinitsky Bay, there is a reserve of international importance - the Swan Islands (Sary-Bulat). The group stretches along the coast for 8 km and consists of six islands (the largest of them is 3 km long and up to 350 m wide). Shallow water, an abundance of plant and animal food in the water and on land, combined with a protected regime, attract a lot of birds, mainly waterfowl, to the Swan Islands. 25 species of birds nest here.
The main decoration of the islands is the mute swan. Fishing for it continued here at the end of the 19th century, which led to a sharp reduction in the number of these birds. Measures for the protection of the Lebyazhy Islands have yielded results: since 1955, the number of this species has increased 10 times, and today there are up to 6 thousand snow-white birds here.
Every year in June, large flocks of mute swans come here to molt. At this time, birds cannot fly, and the protected islands become their home. Floating flocks of swans - a beautiful, unforgettable sight! This graceful, snow-white bird is distinguished by a beautifully curved neck and a bright red beak. Mute swans go south for wintering; they nest in the lower reaches of the Danube, Dniester, Dnieper, in the floodplains of the Kuban, in the Volga delta.
In late autumn, northern whooper swans gather on the islands for wintering (they have a straighter neck and a yellow beak). So almost all year round in this reserve you can meet feathered beauties. Whoopers do not nest here either.
Of the other birds on the Swan Islands, various species of ducks, waders, white and gray herons, gulls, and cormorants live. The most numerous livestock is the gull-gull, which is of great benefit to agriculture: it destroys a lot of rodents. The colony of gulls has up to 30 thousand individuals. During the summer season, the gulls of the Swan Islands kill almost 2 million ground squirrels and up to 8 million mice.
In the water area of ​​Sivash, where there are more than 60 islands, a lot of nesting and migratory birds live and stop to rest. Gulls-gulls, gray ducks and shelducks are especially numerous. On the island of China, there is the largest nesting nesting site for terns on the Sivash. Walking around the island can be difficult: at a distance of 1 - 2 meters from each other there are nests of gulls, shelducks and gray ducks have made their dwellings in the weeds nearby.
Crimea is the only place in the CIS where mass nesting has been noted. His appearance is rather gloomy. The plumage is black, dense, the beak is long, yellow, steeply curved downwards, there is a small crest on the head. The sounds made by him are like a hoarse, unpleasant cackle. For a long nose, a cormorant is also called a “long-nosed”, and for predatory habits and “funeral” plumage - a sea raven. It feeds on weedy fish and crustaceans. It is interesting that a wild bird native to the Crimea in China, Japan and Hungary is a bird-producer. Before going out to sea, fishermen take several tamed cormorants into the boat. They put rings around their necks that prevent them from swallowing fish and lower them overboard. When enough fish have accumulated in the cormorant's throat pouch, they drag it into the boat and, holding it upside down, shake out the caught fish.

Inhabitants of rivers and seas
Crimean mountain rivers, such as Salgir, Kacha, Belbek, Kara-Su, and others, are, in essence, streams that are very stormy during heavy rains and become shallow and dry up in summer. Naturally, under these conditions, in the Crimean rivers, both the northern and southern slopes, there are no fish resources. And yet, about 15 species of fish are found in the Crimean rivers.
Trout lives in the sources of the Kara-Su. In addition, local barbel, Crimean chub specimens are found in the Crimean waters.
Rare animals include: swordfish, tuna, monk seal, anglerfish, lobster, blue crab, starfish, hammerhead shark and blue shark.
In the Black and Azov Seas, three species of the dolphin family are known:, and Azovka. The largest dolphin of the Black Sea is the bottlenose dolphin, its average weight is 150 kg, length is from 2.3 to 3 m, it feeds on bottom and bottom fish (flounder, scorpion fish). It can eat up to 30 kg of fish per day. The weight of the white barrel is half that of bottlenose dolphins. The smallest dolphin is Azovka, or porpoise: weight - up to 30 kg, length - up to one and a half meters.

Invertebrates
Of the invertebrates, mollusks are especially characteristic of the Crimea. 69 species of mollusks live here, 29 of which are found only in the Crimea. This large percentage of endemic species of mollusks is a characteristic feature of the Crimean fauna.
An endemic terrestrial mollusk lives near Balaklava and St. George's Monastery - the Krinitsky snail, related to the common garden snail.
Of the arthropods, one can note the freshwater crab living under stones in some rivers of the Crimea. In general, crabs are inhabitants of the seas. This crab is an exception. Freshwater crab is found sporadically in the fresh waters of Western Europe and the Caucasus. This is an animal of the southern countries, and its presence in the Crimea characterizes the general appearance of the Crimean fauna.
From the same class of arthropods, characteristic representatives of the centipede order are found in the Crimea. This is a centipede and a centipede flycatcher. Scolopendra is long, about 10 cm; a centipede of black-greenish color with a bronze tint, with reddish-yellow strong legs and head. Like most centipedes, it lives under rocks. Scolopendra is dangerous for its poisonous (but not fatal) bites, which cause severe inflammation. It is distributed in the Crimea in the foothills and on the southern coast.
The centipede flycatcher is found in the same areas as the centipede. This is a fearful and not only harmless, but even useful nocturnal insect that exterminates house flies. Among centipedes (there are 42 species in the Crimea) there are many endemics.
From the Arachnoidea order, which is in the same class of arthropods, in the Crimea there are: a salpuga, or phalanx, tarantula spiders and a karakurt spider.
Salpuga is a poisonous arachnid, rather large animal, gray-yellowish in color, with long legs. In Crimea, it is found in the foothills and on the southern coast. It is also less common along the shores of the northern part of the peninsula.
The tarantula is characteristic of the steppe fauna. This is a large spider with legs painted ring-shaped in gray and black. The female is twice as large as the male and eats him after mating.
Karakurt is a small black spider with red dots, found mainly in the wormwood steppes adjacent to the sea, where it arranges a cobweb hut between the grasses. It often lives under rocks. In houses it comes across as an exception. This animal is nocturnal. The female is poisonous during the mating season, which occurs in mid-summer.
The Crimean scorpion is not particularly dangerous, and it is found relatively infrequently in the rocks of the South Shore. Its closest relatives live in the southern countries. For the Crimea, this species of scorpion is endemic.
The insect fauna of the Crimea is rich both in the number of species and in the abundance of individuals. Insects of the Crimea are forms that are characteristic only for the Crimea or, mainly, for the Mediterranean countries.
In the gardens of the Crimea, a large blue-violet beetle, belonging to the family of ground beetles, is often found. This beetle belongs to the Crimean endemic species and is listed in the Red Book. In the forests near Chatyr-Dag, under fallen leaves, one can often find another ground beetle, also purple, but smaller. This is the so-called Dezhan ground beetle - a species characteristic only of the mountain forests of Crimea.

cave world
The physical world of caves as such, i.e. their darkness, uniform and almost constant temperature, degree of humidity, etc., leaves an indelible imprint on the animals living in the caves, creates a very definite and sharp biological environment. Darkness, for example, affects the color of the surface of the animal's body, discoloring it, and the organs of vision, leading to their reduction and even complete disappearance, and compensating for visual defects by the hypertrophic development of the organs of touch. The relatively constant temperature of the caves affects the nature of the so-called periodic phenomena in the life of cave animals. In a word, each physical factor characteristic of caves has its effect on the appearance and biology of cave animals. Currently, among the inhabitants of the Crimean caves, we know 17 species of protozoa, 5 species of worms, 1 species of molluscs, 70 species of arthropods and 5 species of vertebrates, and a total of 98 species.
Of vertebrates - several species